1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cooking apparatus for barbecuing food and, more particularly, is concerned with a portable pit cooking apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Barbecuing has been and will continue to be a popular outdoor activity whether on a family or small group basis or a larger scale. A variety of well-known grills and hibachies are used by families and small groups to serve their barbecuing needs. Basically, these devices are typically comprised of an open grill supported over a charcoal tray. Although such devices satisfy the needs of families and smaller groups of people, they normally have insufficient cooking capacity for larger groups.
Pit-type cooking apparatus have been designed and utilized heretofore for accommodating the needs of larger groups of people. Some representative examples of these devices are the ones disclosed in U.S. patents to Mannheimer U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,164, Hood U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,368, Cowart U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,301, Ringo U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,290, Trkla U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,837 and Podaras et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,420.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,164 to Mannheimer discloses a stationary cooking apparatus having an upper grill and a lower fire basket suspended below the grill on a pair of flexible chains. Also, an arrangement of shafts, reels, a crank arm and a ratchet and pawl is provided for adjusting and retaining the fire basket at various elevations relative to the upper grill. U.S. Pat. No. 2,691,368 to Hood discloses a mobile cooking apparatus having a box-like body and a grill being vertically adjustable within the body by rotation of a shaft having a hand crank and suspending the grill by chains.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,301 to Cowart discloses a stationary cooking apparatus having a grill mounted over a fire pit chamber and a lift mechanism with a screw shaft for elevating a fire pan within the chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,290 to Ringo discloses a stationary cooking apparatus having a plurality of broiling trays supported between radial arms on spiders mounted on opposite ends of a rotary shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,837 to Trkla discloses a portable cooking apparatus having a grill suspended between a lower fuel tray and an upper rotisserie by chains extending around arms of a handle member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,420 to Podaras et al discloses a stationary cooking apparatus having a housing and a ferris wheel type rotatable meat holder mounted within the housing above a lower fire shield which overlies gas burners. The meat holder includes a plurality of racks having opposite end lugs being pivotally supported between a pair of end rings by pivot pins.
An ideal cooking apparatus for barbecuing and grilling food in quantities which will accommodate the needs of large groups of people is one which is portable and incorporates a number of different features which working together facilitate effective control of the cooking process, conversion between types of cooking processes, and maintenance of the cooking apparatus. None of the cooking apparatus of the aforementioned patents is perceived to come even close to having the combination of different features necessary to lead toward this ideal. Consequently, a need still exists for a cooking apparatus which more nearly approaches the ideal.